Dickens of a Christmas photographed Sunday, December 10, 2017 at the Ohio History Connection’s Ohio Village.

Capturing the spirit of holidays past at Ohio Village, where Charles Dickens’s festive and enduring vision came to life through jolly carols, decorations and traditions inspired by his colorful tales. The public enjoyed crafts and cooking demonstrations and shopped P. Wylie’s Emporium for the perfect christmas gifts.

The press opening of the New Dinosaur Gallery at COSI in Columbus, Ohio photographed Friday November 17, 2017.

The new gallery is a partnership between Columbus’ Center of Science and Industry and the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, home to one of the world’s most extensive dinosaur collections. The addition further cements COSI’s standing as one of the top science museums in the country. Among the exhibit’s features: A 40-foot long, 12-foot high skeletal Tyrannosaurus rex, lording over the entrance as a dramatic welcome. A diorama of a forest scene, set 125 million years ago in Liaoning, China, where paleontologists continue today to find fossilized remains of feathered dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures. A feather-covered, ferocious-looking Yutyrannus, a cousin to the T. Rex, which promotes the exhibit’s primary theme: dinosaurs evolved into modern-day birds over millions of years.

Once the ball rolled out of play for a goalkick and it was certain Perrysburg wouldn’t have another chance, the entire Loveland supporters section bounced in glee. Seconds later, the final whistle blew and the Tigers won their first state title in school history. Loveland beat Perrysburg 1-0 Nov. 10 at MAPFRE Stadium in the Division I state championship game. The match marked the second time the program had advanced to the finals in the past three seasons.

Head coach Todd Kelly, who’s coached the team for 22 years, stood in awe as his team lineup up to receive their championship medals. As the Perrysburg players received theirs, Kelly walked down the line and hugged every one of his players. At the end of the line was a sign that said in all caps, “THE MISSION IS COMPLETE.” It was.

Kelly said he was nervous the entire game, not just in hopes of winning a title, but of preventing another heartbreaking loss in the biggest game. In 2015, the Tigers lost 1-0 to Walsh Jesuit in the final. Kelly said he thought about that night multiple times before his team won Friday. He wasn’t alone. Senior goalkeeper Lauren Parker had similar sentiments. Parker was the most ecstatic of her teammates when the game ended, running around on the sideline, and at one point, dropping to her back with her hands on her head. She said she’s thought about that 2015 loss “every single day.”

A much more defensive match than the first two state championship games earlier Friday, the pairing between Loveland and Perrysburg saw two even sides jostle for an advantage. The Tigers found early chances, but the Yellow Jackets went on to control much of the possession in the first half. Loveland took the lead in the 20th minute, though, when junior midfielder Brooke Harden, a Xavier University-commit, slithered through three defenders and saw her 27-yard shot knuckle into the net. Loveland played defensively for the rest of the half to keep its lead.

Yet by Friday night, the Tigers were used to the nerviness of tight, single elimination matches. Including the win over Perrysburg, Loveland’s last four games were one-goal games. The two previous wins were in overtime. Over time, Perrysburg’s frustration grew as it was unable to breakdown the Loveland backline. As the final whistle loomed, it was the Tigers who seemed to grow in confidence and create more chances offensively. The Yellow Jackets’ best chance came in the 69th minute when Julia DeMarco dribbled past the Tiger defense but her open shot from 18 yards out went directly into the arms of Parker.

But late in the match, Loveland senior midfielder Colleen Swift began to toy with the opponents, waltzing between players with the ball and setting up teammates to have more space elsewhere on the field. Loveland, which finished 22-1, was the third program from Greater Cincinnati to win a state championship at MAPFRE Stadium on Friday night. Summit beat Kirtland 4-0 in a noon kickoff, while Indian Hill won its first championship in a 2-0 win over Lake Catholic in a 3:30 p.m. start. Friday was the first time in history that Division I, II and III teams from one region won the state title, according to Ohio High School Athletics Association records.

Indian Hill junior goalkeeper Kate Marr ran to the corner and slid on her knees. Her teammates chased behind. A dozen yards away, their fans celebrated something they’d never been able to celebrate before: Indian Hill had won the Division II state title, Friday November 10, 2017.

The Braves beat Lake Catholic 2-0 on Friday evening at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, Ohio in the Ohio Division II state championship game, finishing with a 22-0-1 record. They were the only undefeated in Ohio girls soccer in the 2017 season. And they dominated the match instantly. Eighty-four seconds in, senior forward Morgan Jackson gave Indian Hill in the lead when Lake Catholic goalkeeper Kennedy Solymosi was caught out of position and Jackson tapped the ball into an open net. It was the fast start the Braves needed, as the Cougars grew in possession and momentum as the first half played out. But junior forward Anna Podojil doubled the lead in the 24th minute when she turned a defender on the edge of the penalty box, then dribbled in and pushed a backpost shot past Solymosi.

Indian Hill led 2-0 at halftime.

The Cougars did have chances to cut into the deficit. However, a sturdy Braves backline, as well important saves from Marr, kept the team’s second clean sheet in two state matches this year. Five minutes into the second half, Marrs mishandled a cross into the goal box and her teammates had to make a goal-line clearance. Roughly two minutes later, Marrs had to make another save. Minutes later there was another clearance off the line.

Friday’s match proved to be more of a complete win that previous blowouts during the postseason and regular had been. From an offensive standpoint, the Braves had the best attacking players in Division II. Jackson, who was named to the Cincinnati Hills League first team all four years in high school, finished the year with 34 goals and 19 assists. Podojil had 38 goals and 17 assists, while her sister, Ellie, had 15 goals and 14 assists. Indian Hill finished the season undefeated, winning all but one game: a 2-2 tie with Alter on Oct. 7. The program also beat Summit Country Day 3-2 on Sept. 9. The Silver Knights won the Division III state title earlier Friday at MAPFRE Stadium.

During the trophy ceremony after the game, Jackson and a few other teammates wiped tears from their eyes in happiness. Marr said although key seniors are graduating, she believes the program can return to Columbus in 2018.

Few people ever get the opportunity to step foot on a runway, let alone race on one. This fun, unique experience allowed racers access to CMH 10L-28R, the north runway of John Glenn International Airport. The south runway remained open so planes could be seen taking off, landing and/or taxiing.

John Glenn Columbus International Airport is primarily a passenger airport. It provides 140 non-stop flights to 34 airports via 6 airlines daily. In 2016, traffic reached 7.3 million, which was a 8% increase over 2015. Traffic in 2017 is expected to surpass the record set in 2007

According to a 2005 market survey, Columbus attracts about 50% of its passengers from outside of its 60-mile (97 km) radius primary service region. In addition, the airport also handles freight and US mail, with 10,411,920 units of freight and 8,537,279 units of mail passing through in 2006.

Accessing John Glenn Columbus International Airport by road is possible by two interstate highways: I-270 to the northeast and I-670 to the west. The main airport roadway, International Gateway, connects directly to I-670.

On May 25, 2016, the Ohio General Assembly passed a bill to rename the airport from Port Columbus International Airport to its current name, in honor of astronaut and four-term U.S. senator John Glenn. The name change was unanimously approved by the airport’s nine-member board on May 24, 2016. Ohio Governor John Kasich signed the bill into law on June 14, 2016 with the name change becoming official 90 days later. On June 28, 2016, a celebration of the renaming was held and new signage bearing the airport’s new name was unveiled.

In 2017, after completion of the $80 million terminal renovation, the airport was named by trade organization Airports Council International as the most improved airport in North America in 2016.

The Honor Flight Network is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which works as an umbrella organization with local chapters and various subgroups.

The Honor Flight Network reports that it has flown over 159,000 veterans to the Washington, D.C. memorials since 2005.

An Honor Flight is conducted by non-profit organizations dedicated to transporting as many United States military veterans as possible to see the memorials of the respective war(s) they fought in Washington, D.C. at no cost to the veterans. Currently these organizations are focused on bringing veterans of World War II to the National World War II Memorial, and any veteran with a terminal illness to see the memorial of the war they fought in. Organizers plan to “naturally transition” their programs to focus on veterans of the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and subsequent wars as the veterans of those wars get older.